Dec. 6, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. - Despite 23 points from Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio), the Penn State Lady Lions (5-3, 0-1) dropped a 56-48 decision to Minnesota (6-3, 1-0) in the Big Ten openers for both teams. The Golden Gophers made more free throws (23) than the Lady Lions had field goals made (18). Minnesota also shot a sizzling 88.5% (23-26) from the charity stripe.
Grant's 23-point effort was her second-straight game with 20 or more points and the 29th 20-point game of her career. She also accounted for four rebounds and steals. Freshman Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) also reached double figures for the Lady Lions with 15 points to go along with two assists and four steals, while fellow freshman Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) had three blocked shots and four rebounds. Senior Meredith Monroe (Olney, Md.) was solid off of the bench for Penn State with two points, five rebounds and two blocks.
As has been the case in recent game, the Lady Lions fell behind early as the Golden Gophers jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first three and a half minutes. Penn State got on the board with a three-pointer by Grant and Janessa Wolff (Park Rapids, Minn.) cut the deficit to five with a pair of free throws at the 15:36 mark. However, Minnesota responded with a three-pointer by Katie Ohm to make it a 13-5 game. The Lady Lions continued to fight as Bentley took the ball coast-to-coast and laid it in and then drained a three-pointer on the next Penn State possession to cap a 10-3 Lady Lion run and make it a 13-10 game with 13:40 left in the first half.
The Golden Gophers stretched the lead back to 11 points (23-12) with a 10-2 run with eight minutes remaining in the half. Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.) scored the lone basket for Penn State during Minnesota's run. The Lady Lions sliced into the Golden Gopher lead with a 6-3 spurt thanks to a 15-footer by Monroe and baskets from Grant and Bentley that made it a 26-18 game with just over five minutes left in the half. Minnesota would score four the game's next six points to put its lead back to 10 (30-20), but the Lady Lions closed the half on a 7-0 spurt as Grant made one-of-two free throws and Bentley and Grant each drained a three-pointer in the final minute and a half.
Grant 11 points for the Lady Lions, who shot 41.7% (10-24) in the opening frame. Bentley added 10 points and three steals in the first half, while Monroe chipped in two points and four rebounds. Kiara Buford led Minnesota with nine first-half points. The Golden Gophers spent much of the first half at the free throw line, making 13-of-14 shots from the charity stripe.
Gray opened the second half by grabbing the rebound off of her own miss and laying the ball in to pull the Lady Lions within one point (30-29) less than a minute into the final period. However, the Golden Gopher reeled off six consecutive to take a seven-point lead at 36-29 with 17 minutes left in the game.
With the Gophers leading by seven, Grant decided to put the Lady Lions on her back and went on a personal 7-0 run that included two free throws, a 10-foot jumper and an old-fashioned three-point play to tie the game at 36-36 with 12:38 remaining in the game. Minnesota responded with a 12-2 run of their own to establish a 48-38 lead with 6:33 on the clock. A Bentley three-pointer snapped a nearly four-minute scoreless drought and cut the deficit to seven (48-41), Minnesota continued to push with four consecutive points to earn an 11-point lead at 52-41 with 3:48 to play.
The Lady Lions made one final push with a basket by Grant, a three-point from Grant and a steal and layup by Bentley to make it a 52-48 game with 59 seconds remaining. After the squads swapped scoreless possessions, the Lady Lions fouled Brittany McCoy, who missed the front end of a one-and-one but the Golden Gophers' Ashley Ellis-Milan grabbed the rebound. Buford and Jackie Voigt sealed the win for Minnesota with four free throws in the final 28 seconds.
GAME NOTES: Senior guard Tyra Grant extended her double-digit scoring streak to 20 games...Grant also turned in her 29th career 20-point game with 23 tallies...Senior guard Nicole Arcidiacono made her third career start...Penn State is now 20-10 all-time against Minnesota...The Lady Lions are 8-8 all-time at Minnesota...Penn State is 10-8 in Big Ten openers.
The Lady Lions return to Happy Valley for a four-game homestand, beginning with Monmouth on Wed., Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. Penn State will then host Big East rival Pittsburgh on Sat., Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. The Lady Lions will be honoring the 10th anniversary of the 2000 Final Four team at the Pitt game and several members of that team are expected to be in attendance. Single-game tickets can be purchased by calling the Penn State ticket office at 814-865-5555.
The 2010 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Jan. 24 at 1 p.m., as the Lady Lions take on Illinois in the Bryce Jordan Center. The game can be seen on www.bigtennetwork.com. The first three Pink Zone events have raised more than $80,000 for breast cancer awareness. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.gopsusports.com/pinkzone.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow head coach Coquese Washington (@psucoachquese), sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and assistant coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook. Search Lady Lion Basketball and become a fan.